Heart of Danger
Prologue It was an ordinary day, at least it began that way. I went to school,and then to work after. I was just heading home when the alarm sounded. I turned around and scanned the monitors to see what was happening. A man in a long, dark cloak holding a bow and arrow was standing on top of the newly built Swellview bridge. It wasn't a new bow with lots of cords and sights and made of plastic. It was an old fashioned wooden longbow, and he knew what he was doing. Ray grabbed his gum tube at the exact moment I reached for mine.It took us less than five minutes to reach the Swellview Bridge. And then things went horribly wrong. Chapter 1 : Henry The Swellview Bridge was being evacuated when we arrived. Now that I was there, I could see that whoever was in the cloak was about my age. I couldn't see his face; the cloak was pulled too far forward. Just as the last people were leaving the bridge, Ray yelled at the archer, “Who are you?" The Archer ignored him and turned to me. “Hello Henry. "I couldn't breath.I looked around to make sure no one was listening,then turned back to The Archer. “It can't be..." I nearly choked as Jasper pulled back the cloak.He lifted his long bow,grabbed an arrow from his quiver (that is the old-timey word for the basket people put arrows in),and drew the string back. He ignored Ray entirely, and aimed at me. I felt like I was frozen.“Please,Jasper don't do this-" His eyes flashed,and he lowered the weapon,hesitating for a slight second,then lifted the longbow unsteadily. “Henry,don't move.If you take one more step, I....Henry please,do not move." “Why?" I yelled angrily, “So I can be your target?" “No," Jasper pleaded, “Henry if you move I don't have a choice! If you stay where you are,I can stop. Please,I'm warning you because I'm your friend!" His eyes flashed once more,and his aim grew straighter.“ Your last warning,Kid Danger, stay where you are." Something made me listen to Jasper, the pleading voice he used,the way his face changed,and...he'd been my friend since we were five. I wanted to believe him. Ray looked at me.“Get behind me, Kid." “But he said-" “You trust him over me?"Ray looked at me, shocked and slightly angry. “No,but..." I sighed. “I don't care what he does,I trust him till someone gets hurt. And if I move, I believe his threats. "Ray looked at me with a sort of respect, but he still looked mad that I had chosen Jasper over him. Jasper took a deep breath and looked at Ray. “Same goes for you.If you move, I release the arrow." “Kid Danger is too fast for you," Ray retorted. “Too fast for me," Jasper agreed, “But..." His eyes flashed again and he rubbed his head like it hurt. “I...I don't know...But..." He looked at me. “Henry,you believe me,right? I don't remember what it is, but it's bad. Really bad. And I don't want to hurt you." I looked at Ray,and then at Jasper. “I...I believe you Jasper. Promise me you're telling the truth." “I promise." Ray looked at me in disappointment, then at Jasper. “I don't trust you. Not now." I remember watching on the monitor,Jasper shooting arrows around the bridge,norrowly missing bikers,cars,and joggers. Something tells me now that he was missing on purpose,not aiming true. “Don't move," I told Ray,never taking my eyes off Jasper. “He isn't joking. He has never bluffed in his life, and I doubt he is going to start now." Ray didn't seem to here me.He put up his fists and stepped forward,first one step, then two. Jasper gulped. “Henry,I'm sorry." And he released the bowstring. Chapter 2 : Ray Jasper placed another arrow on the string and shot,then drew another arrow and aimed several times in rapid succesion.Henry ducked and rolled,the arrow narrowly passing over his head. Henry tried to stand from the roll and grunted.His foot was stuck in one of the support loops that held the suspension cables.Jasper saw this chance. “Kid,take off your boot!"I yelled at him.Immediately Henry began to try and pull the boot off.Jasper was taking careful aim,slowly waiting for the right moment. Just as Henry got his foot loose,Jasper released the arrow.Henry pulled away quickly,but I knew from Henry's groan and Jasper's smug face he wasn't quick enough. Suddenly I tackled Jasper and wrestled his arrows away from him,throwing the whole quiver into the river below.I snapped the bow and tossed it aside,leaving Jasper weaponless. Immediately I jumped up and ran over to Henry.The arrow had torn a gash from his knee to his ankle,and a few drops of blood dripped to the sidewalk.“Can you walk?" Henry nodded and I helped him up,and he groaned as he put weight on his leg.He gripped the rail on the side of the bridge and stood there for several moments. I turned.Jasper was gone. Chapter 3: Henry My leg was bleeding badly now and the second I let go of the rail I collapsed.Ray caught me and I gripped the rail again.“You okay,Kid?"Ray asked me.I nodded even though I knew I wasn't. I limped a few feet with Ray's help,and despite the burning pain in my leg,we slowly made our way to the Man-copter. ---- We went in the Man-Cave the back way,taking the stairs.Yes,there are stairs.Apparently it is against fire safety laws not to have stairs leading to or from an underground structure.Whatever. I gripped the stair rail so hard that I didn't think I could let go at the bottom.In the Man-copter Ray had given me a first aid kit,and I used nearly all the bandages to wrap my leg. “Charlotte!"Ray yelled.We knew she'd still be here.She never left when we went out,unless it was past ten.And even then she always called when she got home. Charlotte came back to the stairs,slightly confused that we didn't take the elavator or the tubes,but then she saw the bandages running from my knee to my ankle.The bandages were stained with blood now,and Ray was practically carrying me. “What happened?"Charlotte asked.I said nothing as Ray helped me hop over to the couch.He went to find more bandages.“Well?"Charlotte pressed. “The Archer hit me."I didn't say more,and she didn't ask,though I know she wanted to know more.I didn't want to tell her.Maybe,I thought,If I ignore the fact that it was Jasper,it wouldn't be him.But,as much as I wanted it to be a nightmare,I knew it was real. Several minutes passed and Ray still didn't return.When he finally did,he was carrying a small box of waterproof bandages,like the kind little kids use when they scrape their knee.I guessed immediatelly that Ray couldn't find anything better.The bandages would'nt help any,so he put them on a table.I noticed he was still in uniform. Charlotte asked Ray what had happened,since I wouldn't tell her.“The Archer hit him."Was all he said. “Yeah,"she muttered.It was almost the same thing I said,and I could tell she was getting frustrated.“Did you find out who the Archer is?" “Yeah..."I said quietly.Everything was slightly blurry for a moment,and then everything went dark. Chapter 4: Charlotte I had been waiting in the Man Cave for almost an hour,and I hadn't heard anything from Ray or Henry.Shwoz went to go watch TV,so I was waiting by myself.Every now and then I'd glance at the News Report,but it was mostly footage of the Archer shooting before Henry and Ray got there. There was an announcement that Captain Man and Kid Danger had shown up,but there were only a few videos of them and the Archer.After that,there was nothing.The reporters tried to get onto the bridge to talk to Captain Man,but he had already left,and the Archer was gone. I waited still about ten minutes more before Henry and Ray came down the stairs.I went to see why they didn't take the elavator or the tubes,and now I saw why.Henry's leg was wrapped in bandages.At one point the wrappings had been clean,white cloth,but now they were stained with blood.He looked pale,and Ray almost had to carry him down the stairs. Category:In Progress